Real Madrid may have been expected to tiptoe into the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era, but instead they've raced right into the new LaLiga Santander season and sit top of the table with nine points and a goal difference of plus eight.

Karim Benzema has been a major reason for their early season success, scoring four goals across the first three weeks of the new campaign, as well as netting one in the UEFA Super Cup loss to Atletico Madrid.

Already he is just one league goal behind his 2017/18 total of five.

It's not just that he is stepping up with goals in the absence of Ronaldo, but that the No.9 is linking up so well with his teammates and is the focal point of the Real Madrid attack.

If Sergio Ramos allows him to take more of Los Blancos' penalties, it might not be too ridiculous to have him down as a candidate for the Pichichi award.